In the early 18th century, Betty Laing, also known as Beatrix, found herself at the heart of a troubling episode in the town of Pittenweem, Fife. As a woman leading a relatively middling socioeconomic life, married to a tailor, Beatrix's days would have been absorbed in the rhythms of domestic life. However, this routine was disrupted when she was accused of witchcraft in 1709, a time when fear and superstition interwove with societal disturbances. Beatrix was one of seven individuals charged with the malevolent act of tormenting a young boy named Patrick Morton, alleged to have been a victim of possession. The resemblance of Patrick's ordeal to the case of 'Bargarran's daughter' in the west of Scotland intensified the case's gravity, compelling the Privy Council to involve Her Majesty's Advocate, Sir James Stewart, to lead the prosecution, with financial support promised by the treasury.
As the case unfolded, it traveled the unpredictable paths of the Scottish legal system of the time. Betty, along with others, was initially detained and various processes ensued, including their appearance on caution at circuit courts. Her case lingered for months, with records indicating her arrest, subsequent placement on a new porteous roll, and schedule for trial in May 1709 in Perth. Despite these formalities, the historical trail leaves the final determination of her case ambiguous. The absence of a concluding trial record leads to the possibility of faded legal proceedings or unrecorded outcomes for such accused individuals.
Betty's story is deeply marked by the harsh pre-trial treatment she endured, notably recorded as having been subjected to the stocks and sleep deprivation—methods occasionally utilized in eliciting confessions during witch trials of the era. A confession, dated June 1704, does appear in the records, yet lacks detailed context surrounding its delivery. This confession might reflect the extreme psychological and physical pressures exerted during her detention. Betty Laing's case illustrates the precarious nature of justice during the Scottish witch trials, marked by societal anxieties and the complexities of early modern legal proceedings.